Face Masks in shops

I would rather lose my liberty than my life. I'm shielding and I will do what it takes to stay safe.

My consultant told me that I could never imagine how horrendous it would be to catch Covid with my comorbidities and to take every precaution possible. His words were that the virus is still out there and there is every chance of another major outbreak because people think it won't happen to them and ignore the guidelines.

I have chronic lung disease and struggle to breathe at times, but that will not stop me wearing a mask, if it helps to keep me safe. Just as it did at my urgent hospital appointment a few weeks ago.

Kim19, Amazon are selling fifty disposable masks for £9.99 and my friend bought a pack of three from Asda for £5.99.

I agree Dancinjay. Face masks seem to be the thin end of a wedge of lost rights and liberties as well as being wholly unpleasant to wear and look at. One simply cannot ‘read’ another person if their face is covered.

The justification for them is that others wearing them will tempt the timid back into public life and into shops. I suspect that this thinking is suspect and that the horrible and intimidating sight of a public masked like bandits will deter more than it encourages.

Strangely, for all the enthusiasm for masks, I saw none in worn in two popular seaside towns this morning and wonder whether mask wearing will be more honoured in the breach than the observance. Where are all the police officers who will be doing the £100 fining?

I have a comfortable home made mask. Hate wearing it but of course I will. Think the fine for non-compliance should be much higher than £100. However, this will certainly be counter productive in the Govt's grand scheme of getting us back out there spending. I will certainly do shops to a minimum. No more pleasant browsing for me. Furthermore, my regular lovely journeys in buses and trains are a no, no. The very thought of being masked for either an hour or four hours leaves me cold. I'm about to go online and investigate bulk purchases of disposable masks. I've seen eBay mentioned on here. Any other economic suggestions would be really appreciated.

Diggingd. I understand that staff will not have to wear them.

With regard to the glasses steaming up problem I saw a tip on t'interweb that if you fold up a tissue along the line of the mask over the nose it will absorb the moisture and glasses remain unsteamed. Throw the tissue away after use.

I hope all staff in shops will be wearing them as well. I went in a shop yesterday for a very quick purchase, without wearing my mask, but I wish I had put it on as a staff member sneezed right in front of me and I had to pass by her as there was no other way out. She was not wearing one.
I'm now starting to worry if I've caught something. It's certainly taught me a lesson that however quick I'm going to be , to always put the mask on.

I found the foggy glasses a pest in the early days. But with trial and error I’ve fixed that by wearing the top tip of the mask on the bridge of my nose and wearing the glasses lower down my nose than normal.

Masks on a shopping trip are a small inconvenience to help keep each other safe. Hopefully in turn that might reduce the numbers who will end up requiring the care of NHS staff who have to wear heavy duty masks and full body PPE for the duration of a 12 hour shift.

I'm glad it's the rule now (too little, too late, as always) and nobody should mind wearing one if everybody has to.

Will we ever have real quarantine, I wonder? In NZ, it's two weeks in a hotel, supervised.

At the beginning of the shut down in March I had to see my new Dr. & was told to wear a mask. I was taken to his room by the secretary, also masked & the Dr., masked of course, greeted me then gave me a wink. Unexpected ( years since I've had a wink ) but it relaxed me. Perhaps a wink, instead of a smile, could be the new way forward?

For anyone who has problems with glasses fogging if you are worried about damaging the lenses with soap. Fold up a tissue, place it under the mask just over the bridge of your nose, it absorbs the moisture and I found it really helps.

It gets easier. I’ve been wearing masks since lockdown. At first yes, it seems hot and uncomfortable, but you soon get used to it.

Our NHS workers have been wearing full PPE (when they could get it) for hours and hours on end. There is a reason for this, that some people don’t seem to ‘get’. If they don’t witter on about their civil liberties and indeed many have given their lives while helping those infected, then we should take a leaf out of their books.

Just do it! Besides it is compulsory now. Or stay at home. Your choice.

I've got asthma and manage with a mask. I will rip it off in relief when I get in the car, but wear it religiously in shops or areas where there are other people.

I had to fly a month ago and have a real phobia of flying. The airline's policy was to wear a mask, which I don't mind doing, but my hyperventilating with fear (I know I'm pathetic) combined with a mask was horrible. The steward let me take my mask off for a couple of minutes to calm me down a bit.

I find the disposable ones easier now than the washable cloth one I have. When I lived in China I had an anti pollution mask which was much easier to wear. A lot cooler. I was even able to exercise in it. They cost nigh on £60 now and are impossible to get.

I agree with thecatshat. I will hate having to wear a mask in shops as I am asthmatic and worry about being able to find a breathable one.

Despite that I intend to do so as it's a legal requirement.

I remember the fuss FIL made when seat belts in cars became compulsory. He refused to wear one and when he wanted DH to give him a lift DH told him that his car insurance would not be valid if he wasn't wearing a seat belt.

I think FIL discovered the same was true about his own car insurance policy so he started wearing one. Shortly afterwards he lost control of his car and smashed it into a wall. The seatbelt saved his life.

So it will be with face masks.....

I am going to hate it, and as others have said, l really dread it. But: l do think it's a good thing to do.
The virus is still here with us, and will probably bite quite a few people on the bum, come winter time.
Washable home made ones for me.....

Maybee70 Yes you are right but quite co-incidental that when I walked to the shop I was talking to a neighbours son and he was going into the shop to buy some masks and he said to me
that people are afraid of the masks because they think you want to rob from them, so I think it is a valid point.

Macgran43

For anyone who wants to increase their stock of facemasks try this website for good designs

www.fxg-masks.co.uk

Thanks for that link, Macgran43

My daughter will love them!

3nsnny6: news reports on tv seem to go out of their way to interview members of the flat earth society.

Found a solution to the glasses steaming up problem: wearing my glasses further down my nose so that they help seal the gap ??

I have sleep apnea and have to wear a mask at night so I don't stop breathing. When I first got it I hated it but I got used to it, and now it's second nature. So wearing a mask in shops doesn't bother me at all. If it helps a tiny little bit to protect others, what's the problem?

Shop worker on T.V. this morning working in a smaller shop outlet said this "I am not letting anyone in my shop that wears the bigger type mask that covers most of the face and basically only eyes are visible. Those type of people will probably be the one to rob the shop" It seems you can't win no mask you cannot go in the shop, too big a mask you also cannot go in the shop.

ladytina: I think it’s down to finding different masks for different situations. If and when I pluck up the courage to go into a shop I will wear my medical grade mask. Other situations and I have one described as ring antibacterial and made of a breathable soft fabric. That has replaceable filters that I’ve bought to use with other masks as well. When out walking I wear a neckerchief that’s I can pull up over my face: not really necessary outdoors but I hope it reminds people to keep their distance. What does concern me is that I’ve spent a lot of money on face coverings thus far and a lot of people will struggle financially. I do think the government should pay shops to provide suitable masks for people.

I see the unions are moaning that shop workers shouldn't have to enforce the rules. They don't seem to mind enforcing the rules about only one person from a household entering a shop. I was turned away from Tesco last week as I was going in with DH. I thought the easing of restrictions would have taken away that rule but we were asked at the door if we were from the same household and I was sent away. We have just seen the news about California where the shops had signs in the windows saying 'No mask no service'. Easy enough. I think the press and TV are trying to create a problem setting the unions against the government.

Xrgran: I think it said on the news that the police would be policing this. So a shop owner can just phone the police if someone refuses to wear a mask. I can see lots of people carrying exemption cards though, even if they aren’t exempt.

I went into town today, Newcastle upon Tyne, for the first time in months. I wore my face mask continuously however, after about 50 minutes I felt highly nauseous, even though at this point I was outside in the fresh air. I really thought I was going to be sick so had to take it off. Within a couple of mins I was fine but went home as I couldn’t face putting it on again.

The main shopping Street was busy but very very few wearing masks...I’d guess 1 in 100....

For anyone who wants to increase their stock of facemasks try this website for good designs

www.fxg-masks.co.uk